Mi{ET1} insertion in the first exon.
bb8MB10362 homozygous as well as bb8MB10362/Df(3R)Exel9012 and bb8MB10362/Df(3R)BSC619 hemizygous mutant males (but nor females) are completely sterile. bb8MB10362 mutant males have empty seminal vesicles without any mature sperm and morphological defects are observed during later stages of spermatogenesis: the spermatid nuclei are elongated correctly but are often scattered over the apical area of the bundles. The bb8MB10362 mutants have significantly decreased number of elongated spermatids (AXO 49-positive) per testis and these are also significantly shorter compared to wild-type controls. Spermatid individualization is impaired (proper individualization complex fails to be established) and their mitochondria are swollen (megamitochondria). As in wild-type two mitochondrial derivatives are found in bb8MB10362 mutant spermatids but unlike in wild-type they remain similar to each other in early elongating spermatids and both accumulate paracrystalline, whose structure however is irregular.
bb8MB10362 has male sterile | recessive phenotype, non-suppressible by wamSR2/wamSR2
bb8MB10362 is a non-enhancer of male semi-fertile | dominant phenotype of wamKO
bb8MB10362 is a non-suppressor of male semi-fertile | dominant phenotype of wamKO
bb8MB10362 is rescued by bb8+t3
The complete male sterility as well as the spermatid individualization defect observed in bb8MB10362 mutants is fully rescued by combination with bb8+t3.
Precise excision of the insertion reverts the mutant phenotype.